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Tumakuru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwara has said that the data from the caste survey to be conducted in the state from September 22 to October 7 will not be used for any reservation, but can be used for governmental programmes for those in need. 

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"It is not the question of any particular caste. It is only to enumerate the numbers of each particular caste. This is not going to be used for any reservations," Parmeshwara told ANI.

"It is to see whether educationally or in terms of progress, how far these communities have come after Independence. So after this, I think the data can be used for governmental programmes or to make any special programmes for those who have been deprived. This is the basic idea of this enumeration of the data," he added.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday reaffirmed his government's commitment to conduct a caste survey in the state, describing it as an essential step to ensure equal opportunities for disadvantaged communities.

Speaking to reporters in Gadag, CM Siddaramaiah clarified that the exercise was not merely a caste count but a comprehensive assessment of the state's social fabric.

"The survey proposed to be conducted in the state is not just a caste survey, but an economic, social and educational survey. This survey is being conducted to provide equal opportunities to the disadvantaged by obtaining details of the caste of the people, as well as their economic, social and educational conditions," Siddaramaiah said.

Rejecting criticisms and conspiracy theories surrounding the survey, the Chief Minister said, “The Central government will also conduct a caste survey, and will there be a conspiracy in that too? No minister has expressed opposition to the survey. To bring equality in society, the poor should be given priority in government schemes.”

Responding to the BJP's request to the Governor to instruct him to reconsider the survey decision, he said, “The BJP is doing politics in the survey issue. There is no question of dividing caste in the survey issue.”

On the inclusion of the Kuruba community in the Schedule Tribe category, he said that the previous BJP government had made the recommendation to include the Kuruba community in ST. But the Central government has returned this proposal, and the government will give an explanation for it. The decision to include any community in ST will be made by the Central government. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed)